The Spice Must Flow

Spice World (1998) hit the top of the queue more or less by accident, and I was somewhat appalled when it arrived at our door. But it turns out to be a fairly awesome movie.

It features the five Spice Girls (remember them? Can you name them? Real names and matching nicknames? I can't) driving around London in their tour bus, driven by Meat Loaf. Outside, it's just a bus. Inside, it's the size of a loft apartment, with beds for each of them. They are being overworked by the mysterious Chief (Roger Moore), who only talks to them on the phone (while petting a white Persian) in cryptic koans. They long for the simpler days before the stress of their upcoming concert at Albert Hall. Also, their (non-famous) friend Naoko Mori is having a baby and they want to support her (Girl Power!) but keep getting pulled into rehearsals, photo shoots and performances.

So, basically, female Hard Day's Night in color. Not as good, to be sure, but pretty good. It's full of silliness and fun, like when they run into Elton John, hugs and kisses, and then as they leave, he just looks at the camera and rolls his eyes. Or when they go into a bar and the bartender is Elvis Costello. They say, "Fame is so fickle," look right at him and order a double. He's great in this role, polite and utterly unselfconscious.

There are fewer songs than I expected - wait, I just checked and there are about a dozen. But I feel like only 3-4 get a full treatment. I don't really know any of their stuff, since I wasn't a young girl in the nineties, but I found most of it enjoyable if forgettable. I really liked their garage-y, Runaways-like "Leader of the Gang" - too bad it was penned by noted sex-offender Gary Glitter. My second favorite was Millie Smalls' "My Boy Lollipop." Respect the classics.

I left out several subplots: The sleazy tabloid publisher (Barry Humphries) who is trying to get pictures. The pretentious documentary film-maker (Alan Cummings) who never manages to get near them. George Wendt and Mark McKinney endlessly pitching more and more absurd ideas for a Spice Girls movie. This is all fun, but kind of feels like filler. Wanted more of the Girls.